Trudeau accuses Tories and NDP of distaste for Charter of Rights, says it is the 'centre' of Liberal party

Justin Trudeau accuses Tories, NDP of distaste for Charter of Rights

OTTAWA — Liberal leader Justin Trudeau opened his first caucus meeting on Parliament Hill on Wednesday with a tribute to a document his father championed exactly 31 years earlier: the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Escorted into the meeting room by a throng of clapping, cheering staff and parliamentarians, Trudeau said his party’s support for the charter was one thing that separated Liberals from Conservatives and New Democrats.

“The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom is at the centre of what it means to be a Liberal,” he said. “Conservatives talk a good game about being a party of freedom. But they are mistrustful of the mechanisms that actually ensure those freedoms for Canadians. And that’s why they don’t celebrate the charter.”

The Harper government was criticized for not marking either the 25th anniversary of the Charter in 2007, or the 30th anniversary last year.

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Some Conservatives have argued the document empowers individuals at the cost of the societal good, though the prime minister told reporters in Chile last year that constitutional “divisions” were more to blame for such problems.

“In terms of this as an anniversary, I think it’s an interesting and important step, but I would point out that the charter remains inextricably linked to the patriation of the Constitution and the divisions around that matter, which as you know are still very real in some parts of the country,” Harper said at the time.

Trudeau didn’t stop at the Conservatives, also accusing the NDP of taking a poor view of the document as part of its effort to appeal to Quebecers.

“The NDP also find themselves to be deeply conflicted about the Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” he said, “largely because of a political calculation they’ve made pandering to … very vocal sovereigntist Quebecers who do not particularly appreciate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.”

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair said the notion that his party is pandering to Quebecers is “completely false” and suggested the Liberals are trying to start fights and create divisions.

“We are the party that for the first time in a generation has won, for a federalist party, the majority of seats in Quebec. That’s something we should all be very happy about,” Mulcair said Wednesday.

“The NDP has fought more than any other party to get Quebec a place in Canada, to create winning conditions for all of us in this country and that’s they type of positive, optimistic political offer that the NDP is all about …”

During his address at the start of the caucus meeting, Trudeau reiterated that the party has hard work ahead of it as it prepares to fight the 2015 election.

Former Liberal leadership hopefuls Marc Garneau, Joyce Murray, Deborah Coyne, George Takach and Karen McCrimmon were among those in the room; Martha Hall Findlay, Martin Cauchon and David Bertschi were absent.

Trudeau did not reveal what roles Garneau and Murray will play in his “shadow” cabinet going forward, though Liberals did confirm that Trudeau’s new chief of staff will be Cyrus Reporter.

Reporter previously worked as chief of staff to Liberal cabinet minister Allan Rock before becoming as a lobbyist on issues such as copyright law, trade and investment, telecommunications, energy and infrastructure.

More changes are expected in the coming days and weeks as Trudeau moves to set up his office and begin the work of rebuilding the Liberal Party in earnest.

However, officials have also indicated a major shake-up likely won’t come until the summer.